Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana (see photo), superintendent of the Pomona Unified School District, was nominated to be the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year. The Pomona Unified School District serves over 31,000 students in Pomona and parts of Diamond Bar.
Rep. Napolitano expressed her strong support of Superintendent Melendez and sent the following message to the nominating committee:
It is with tremendous pride that I support the nomination of Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana as National Superintendent of the Year.
Superintendent Meléndez has transformed the Pomona Unified School District. This by any measure would be a challenging district, with approximately 30,000 students, 81% Latino, and almost half of whom are English Language Learners. She came to a school district that was at odds with the community, where parents were attempting to recall the Board of Education and schools were sliding into Program Improvement status.
Under her leadership, three schools have already moved out of Program Improvement.
Student achievement is rising throughout the district. Two of her high schools have been named among the top 500 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Our community has enthusiastically endorsed her vision by approving a $235 million bond to renovate our schools. She has held community forums to encourage parents to participate and she has responded to their calls by opening a magnet school, academies and signature programs that will offer parents and students choices and pathways to careers.
She has partnered with Western University of Health Sciences and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, to create a "Health Career Ladder" which allows elementary school students and parents to participate in rigorous science education, visit medical school over a six week period, and speak with interns to learn what medical school is really like. Interested students are mentored by district and university faculty to develop the challenging mathematics, science, and verbal skills necessary for success in undergraduate and medical school.
Superintendent Meléndez is creating academies that will guide students on career paths from elementary to high school with options that give students a clear vision of how their school work impacts their future. At the high school level there are academies in Medicine and Engineering. Offerings in construction trades, the performing arts, and fine arts are being planned. At a time when education in California is in crisis, Dr. Meléndez is revitalizing our schools through partnerships with UCLA, USC, UC Riverside, Mount San Antonio College, the Claremont Colleges, and a host of others.
While 75% of her students are economically disadvantaged, they are being provided world-class academic opportunities. Dr. Meléndez is an inspirational leader, and a dynamic, tireless champion for our students. She has vision and purpose, and is deserving of the title National Superintendent of the Year.
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